Portland is home to the most beautiful and peaceful parks along with being the city known for its wonderful hotels. Tanner Springs Park is one of the more creatively designed parks out of many parks in Portland. Although the park is pretty small in size, covering almost 0.92 acres of land only.
But it isn’t an ordinary park with swings and stuff. It is more of a peaceful area, with lots of greenery around and water ponds with little grass, lilies, and other plants grown within.
There are walking tracks in the park, and some benches too, where people can sit and relax. You’ll see children playing around in the park and their parents chilling out on the fresh green grass. There’s a super uniquely created Art wall within this park. Hand-painted fused glass and upright railroad tracks were used to create this beautiful art wall.
When Was Tanner Springs Park Completed?
The Tanner Springs Park was originally part of the Pearl District Plan 1999. It was then named ‘North Square Park’ and completed in the year 2005. After its completion, it was renamed ‘Tanner Springs Park’.
Initially, the park had no restrictions on the entry of pets. But, after it was realized that the pond’s ecosystem is being affected, it was decided that pets should not be allowed.
Tanner Springs Park Plan – The History
A landscape architecture firm, Peter Walker & Partners, was commissioned in June 1999 to develop concepts for three new parks along Tenth Avenue and Eleventh Avenue in the River District. The project team developed and refined plans for the parks based on feedback from the steering committee, as well as from two public workshops.
Throughout the final plan, there were repeating elements that enhance the thematic links between the three parks. Among the first to be developed was Jamison Square. The second block of the development project was named North Park Square.
It was started in early 2003 to plan this park. GreenWorks was selected to design the park as the landscape architect in partnership with Atelier Dreiseitl, a renowned German design firm.
From January to June 2003, a series of community workshops were held to engage the public in the design process. On April 5, 2005, Tanner Springs was named after a committee review. Springwater in the park is connected to Tanner Creek, which once flowed openly through this area, but today is channeled underneath roads.
This Park is appropriately named because of the design that takes its cues from the region’s native wetlands and flowing runnels.
The Plants in Tanner Springs Park
The Tanner Springs Park is designed as a transect of natural plant communities that historically existed in Willamette Valley. The parks consist of four different plant communities:
- Freshwater pond
- Emergent wetland
- Wet prairie
- Oak woodland
These numerous plants in the park are all native to Willamette valley, from the sedges in the pond to the stately white oak trees that once overtook a section of an urban streetscape on the park’s edge.
Tanner Springs Park, Portland – The Design and Location
Design and Architecture of Park
A quiet and naturalistic park designed by Atelier Dreiseitl and GreenWorks PC, Tanner Springs Park is two blocks from the bustling Jamison Square, connected through a wooden boardwalk. Discarding the industrial cover began restoring Tanner Creek, which runs through the neighborhood, and reconnecting it with the pre-industrial wetlands. Herbert Dreiseitl, the architect behind the park’s waterscape, worked on perfecting the sound of the flowing water before it was installed.
Talking about the plants of the Tanner Springs Park, a number of large trees salvaged from the region have been planted as mature trees in the park. These include Oregon oaks, red alders, and bigleaf maples.
An art installation called Artwall is located on the east wall of the park, which is comprised primarily of tracks of the railway that have been reclaimed from the surrounding area and vertically placed. The rails, recovered from the Portland area, were donated by Portland Terminal Railroad.
Rails from 1898 exist on some of these lines. Several hundred pieces of translucent blue glass were also provided by Bullseye Glass, a local art glass company. They depict dragonflies, insects, amphibians, and spiders among other indigenous animals painted by Herbert Dreiseitl.
Exact Location
NW 10th Ave & Marshall Street, Portland, OR 97209, USA
Our Verdict
If you ever have a chance to visit Portland, do not miss out to spend some peaceful moments at Tanner Springs Park. Its architecture is definitely going to make you appreciate the efforts of its planners.
If you live in Portland and haven’t been to Tanner Springs Park, we recommend you take some time out and do a visit. Just grab a book to read or a yoga mat for some workout, and head over to Tanner Springs Park!
